A Great way to check off a line from my Bucket List.

Noordam Cruise Review to Alaska - Gulf of Alaska

Cruises: 1 cruise (first)
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 49

Overall rating:

4 out of 5
Verified Review
Noordam

7 Night Glacier Discovery Southbound (Anchorage To Vancouver)

Sail date: July 17, 2016

Ship: Noordam

Cabin type: Suite

Cabin number: 6086

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 8 years ago

Review summary

Being a first time cruiser, I have nothing to compare the cruise with.However, I feel Holland America knows how to make the Alaskan Cruise a special experience.  I cannot say enough about the staff. They were friendly, informative, accommodating, efficient, and provided impeccable service.  The food throughout the ship was great.  The dining room menu was creative and provided something for everyone. The buffet, too, had a wide selection of choices. Check out the burger at the poolside grill!  It is as good as any at gourmet burger restaurants.  My spa experiences were equally as good.  It was obvious the ship's captain wanted to showcase the Alaskan landscape and was an excellent wildlife spotter, important for an Alaskan cruise. The entertainment is overall OK, but loved the band in the BB King Blues Lounge and the Piano Bar entertainer. Besides, we were tired in the evenings from shore excursions and cruise activities.  The reason I cannot give the cruise 5 stars is there was a mechanical issue with a part of the ship (non-navigational) and it cost a nearly an entire day of the cruise/excursions.   I am looking forward to cruising again.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5

Entertainment

3 out of 5

Children's Programs

N/A

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5
Only issue was very different lighting configuration. Bathroom update may be needed.

Ship tip

Try the "Pub Crawl". Consider cost of laundry, if adding a land portion. You may want to see if there is an upgrade to pay for this.

Ports of call

Seward (Anchorage), Alaska Did not visit port

If traveling from Anchorage that day, no time to see it.

Cruise Glacier Bay

5 out of 5
Make sure you are outside and spend at least part of your time in the Crow's Nest. Have a pair of binoculars on hand. Go to the Park Ranger program in the morning.

Haines, Alaska

3 out of 5
The White Pass ferry/train that starts in Skagway takes up your entire time. There is a "red light" saloon that is fun, the Red Onion.

Juneau, Alaska

3 out of 5
See the Mendenhall Glacier from the water. Go on one of the whale watching trips. Check out the Red Dog Saloon.

Ketchikan, Alaska

3 out of 5
Visit the Creek St. historic district and the Totem Pole Heritage Center.

Cruise Inside Passage, Alaska

5 out of 5
Get up early and watch for whales, dolphin, and orcas.

Vancouver (Canada Place), British Columbia

5 out of 5
The trip to Butchart Gardens is great. You may see whales from the ferry. If you can overnight in Victoria do it. Dinner at the Gardens is beautiful.
Was this review helpful? 49

2 Comments

Gwbigdog    2 years ago

Thanks for sharing your cruise with us.

Joey483    8 years ago

I hope you had an amazing time! I personally enjoy Holland America line the most!

Other reviews of this sailing